All the Queer Excellence in This Year's Emmy Noms

The Emmy nominations are finally out, and queer fans have plenty to rejoice over. For starters, can you believe? Season One of Queer Eye has been nominated for four Emmys, including Outstanding Structured Reality Program. Gay Jesus (Jonathan Van Ness) scored an additional nom for his work on Gay of Thrones. Watch JVN’s full reaction below.

Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story: The Murder of Gianni Versace, meanwhile, is killing it (lol) this year. The thrilling saga about the late, great designer snatched up a staggering 18 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series. The Will & Grace revival also scooped up five nominations.

Meanwhile, RuPaul continues her reign as reality TV’s most magnetic host with a nomination in the Outstanding Host For a Reality or Reality-Competition Program award for Drag Race, though she faces stiff competition from other queer icons like Jane Lynch and Ellen DeGeneres. That’s a Lip-Sync for the Crown we’d love to see.

Steven Universe, which only gets queerer with each season, landed a nod for Outstanding Short-Form Animated Program. The show recently depicted a lesbian wedding! (Yes, we know. They’re aliens. Let us live.)

Other queer icons to be acknowledged this year are Samira Wiley, Sarah Paulson, Kate McKinnon, Wanda Sykes, Evan Rachel Wood, Ricky Martin, Tim Gunn, Lily Tomlin, and Titus Burgess. It’s a whole lot of excellence. But what does it mean to have LGBTQ+ people acknowledged for their contributions right now?

It means we are still thriving and contributing in an environment where we are being erased. Current shows like Pose, which showcases Black trans talent and have meaningful queer storylines, are also bringing a new level of representation to the screen.

Of course, we still have a long way to go when it comes to queer visibility in media, as we’ve seen recently with the debate over Scarlett Johansson assuming a trans role in an upcoming film. Still, it’s nice to take a moment and celebrate the LGBTQ+ leaders who are up for awards this year. We’re rooting for you!

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